Very interesting thanks

You're welcome Rick. It was a very interesting time over there, one I'm sure you'd have enjoyed.

Nice critter Jack !! I'll bet you used the old paper bag routine on him !!

Was he responsible for the condition of the adjacent tree trunk ??

Good deal, Jack ! What an amazing find for you ...can just imagine your expression !

I saw documentary years ago on the Amur leopard...reported then, that there was something like only 40 individuals left in the wild ?

And those fantastic marten there !

What a life of experiences ! Thank you for sharing this .

white17 - The old paper bag routine worked well, but those leopards aren't as wimpy as the mountain lions, and I found that doubling the bag was advisable. And yes, that was formerly a pristine tree. Also, the cable was all camo'd well before the capture.

Jack

Sharon - When the leopard project was first started, the Russians told me that they figured there were only 12-15 animals remaining. Once I started catching and radio-collaring, they revised their estimate a bit upwards.

That is an interesting picture of the leopard-a beautiful animal.I notice a lot of scratching on the tree trunk,but the cable looks to not be pulled tight nor kinked.Like a lynx,he did not seem to fight that snare too much(foot snare I assume),or was he only caught for a very short time?

Very cool,Jack.I should have figured that one out.

Fascinating ! A dream come true in your history making work, indeed.

The clarity of those tracks are really nice, to me. No smudges at all. Seems like the marten was strolling along with the leopard , discussing how they were laying the groundwork for you to follow

Thanks Gulo! The "Party Foul" declaration has hereby been lifted! (I think you even made the results posting deadline.)
What a cat! Holy smokes.

I imagine some drugs were given....to collar that Cat !

Wow, is that beast beautiful! Please tell us you have written a book about your Far East trapping/research. I would really enjoy reading all about it.

Man, missed it by a hare!

Well, AV, you didn't guess a hare , but yes, you did miss it by a hair !

Jack

One thing's for certain Jack a book about your trapping and research of animals would be interesting to say the least yes I was stumped on the tracks in the snow .

Nessmuck instead of drugs to subdue the leopard that's what the paper bag was used for ! Ha ha

I can see that the hare jumped over the creek, and was not sticking by for dinner.
2 days and I go out on the line and I miss another one of your quiz......

the small animal is not leaping like a Deer mouse Peromyscus, but behaving more like a Sorex palustris

You are absolutely correct Northof50. Doesn't show the hopping gait typical of Peromyscus or Apodemus. There were at least 6 shrew species in Ussuriland, and that is probably a better guess for those tracks depicted. Would likely be Neomys fodiens. Thanks for the correction.

Jack some detail on that set please?
I am more curios on the logistics of your personal substanance while there. Having traveled to some crazy places myself, how much could you ask for and expect from those enlisting your services there or was it a get your shots, get over here, and act like you've lived here before?

Osky